Taking Fuzzyface National!

So, I have actually begun the quest of taking my project Fuzzyface national. Well, to be fair it's not just my project, Venus of Necro wrote it, but since I am the publisher, I am given the job of researching how to get this book out to the masses. It is going to take some work, but one thing is certain, I CAN DO THIS! I believe I can. Part of taking Fuzzyface national is a huge hurdle, funding. How do I get funding to take this story, that I know people will enjoy and clamor for? Well, I have learned a couple of things dabbling with the internet. It's cool, not only can I look up crazy shit on this thing, it's also very useful. I have found a few sites that will and or can help with this. kickstarter.com is one. They allow you to pursue funding through their site through private donors who log on and donate money to projects they like. Kickstarter.com will also be doing a panel at this year's San Diego Comic Con. I will be attending that panel.
Another option for funding is getting a grant. There are thousands of organizations that offer small business grants and service awards to anyone who works hard enough and goes out and does the leg work. Through Charlie Harris at Charlies Comics here in Tucson, I learned of the Xeric Foundation, which offers grants to self publishers of comic books. There is a six step process I have to submit to the review board. Part of which is a business plan; an expenditure report on how much I am going to ask for and then the distribution of the grant monies. Now most of the grant money would go towards the self publishing. Paying the press, the bindery if they're separate. Buying an ISBN if I need it. It would be helpful. And then buying copies of my book. These online publishing companies offer print on demand services, which limit cost and waste. Plus you don't have to sit on a huge inventory or rent a warehouse or ship things yourself. They drop ship for you. Or offer you to sell through an affiliate website. So, cost would be minimal, in as much as I would print several hundred copies to take to conventions and sell at comic book shops. The rest could be purchased online. And then there is the talent that has to be paid. As the artist, I'm not going to pay myself upfront, but with profits from sales. Venus is receiving a portion of the sales of the book, however she deserves a payment for the writing of the book. And then of course if this thing really blew up, like changing media (movies, video games etc.) Venus and I would renegotiate her earnings, as usually happens when something goes big time.
I was also thinking of trying to get the book carried through a small press company such as Oni, Top Shelf, SLG, Image or Darkhorse. The reality of that might not be so good though. Especially since one of my requirements is that the Anti-Hero Brand Press logo stays on the project. Cause it's my book. They're just helping distribute it. Kinda like Disney distribute Pixar's movies. That is something I am thinking a lot of publishing companies would not be up for. See they want to be able to take credit for these stories, and I understand that. But I'll be damned if I'm gonna let another company claim credit for this work.
So that leaves me with the most realistic option. Continue self publishing it through sites like lulu.com or ka-blam.com. Not bad sites. They come highly recommended from different sources. Doing so requires a few things. Choosing their level of print and distribution packages. Lulu seems a bit ahead, since they do projects other than just comics. They offer a wide variety of outlets for distributing your finished project, including amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. And with them there is the option of them giving me an ISBN for the book. Thing is, if I spend a little bit of money and get my own ISBN, then I am the publisher. Both Lulu and Ka-Blam offer the option of bringing in your own ISBN to the dance.
Writing down specs, drawing and reading bright computer screens with visions of Fuzzyface in the grubby hands of every other person in the country. Not a bad dream.